Committed karateka

"Rushad was first encouraged at the age of seven by his father Yazdi to take up karate as it was a unique sport which taught oneself discipline and control over mind and body,” says Rushad’s mother Hutoxi Captain. Training right from the start at Kyoshi Vispy Kapadia’s All India Gojukai Karate Do, 14-year-old Rushad has a black belt and has won medals in his age group at district and state level tournaments. On November 26, 2011 he secured the first place for both kata (choreographed pattern of movements) and kumite (sparring) at the City District karate championship at the University Stadium in Bombay. Three days later he won two golds for kata and kumite at the 33rd Maharashtra Karate Association’s Championship Tournament at the Andheri Sports Complex in which 22 districts participated. Earlier, Rushad showcased his skill at the Mumbai Mayor’s Cup karate tournament to annex a gold medal.

With selected students of the All India Gojukai Karate Do given international exposure in prestigious tournaments abroad, Rushad was among Kapadia’s karatekas at the 5th Asian Pacific Gojukai Karate Do Championship in Bangkok. At the Commonwealth Karate Championships in Sydney in August last year, Rushad was part of the squad that won a bronze in team kumite. The teenager is currently in standard nine at St. Stanislaus High School at Bandra. "Rushad is now being given weapon training in karate,” Hutoxi elaborates. With rigorous practice developing strength and stamina, Rushad fared well at the Jal B. Pardiwalla All Parsees Annual Athletic Meet, garnering three bronze medals on February 12, 2012 in the high jump, 100 m and 400 m relay at the University Stadium.